Creative Distractions

Do you try to do something, and then figure out it's just not working?

One of the things I have tried to do many times is try to write while listening to a podcast or music. Sometimes it works out okay, but I've realized that for the most part it just doesn't work!

I was hanging out the other day a bit before starting my side hustle, and one of the things I enjoy doing is listening to a podcast on the way down to the place. I try to get there a little early and enjoy the sunrise, as I don't get to do that very often. With doing that, I also try to write a little bit sitting in the car. I figured I would keep listening to the podcast while I was writing but it actually annoyed me hahaha. I couldn't focus on what I wanted to write while listening to the dudes talk about the topic!

It's interesting to think about, because I think part of this goes to my brain and the subconscious part of it. With the job that I do for actual work, I listen to music all the time while I'm doing work and will occasionally listen to a short podcast. I find those things really soothing to do while I work because it's me doing what I know a lot about. When it comes to writing posts or things where it's purely creative though, I can't have any of that shit going on!

That really got me interested and thinking about how we do things. I actually didn't even really think about it as being creative versus scientific in a way, until just writing this post! Perhaps the way my brain works is that when I am being creative, I need it to be fairly quiet. I can have noises going on such as cars or nature, but I can't listen to music or other things that are going to distract my attention away from what I am trying to come up with.

That for sure goes to right-sided brain versus left-sided brain. I forget which one it is but one of them is the creative one where the other one is the analytical one. When I am working, I am being incredibly analytical because that's what the job entails. That allows me to enjoy things that are subtle and enjoyable such as some nice music on low in the background, so that it helps my brain process what it's doing.

When the creative side takes over, it doesn't want any of that shit hahaha. I don't mind it because it helps me put together content and at a pretty rigorous pace. For example, in the hour sitting here I was able to write three posts with that creative side of my brain, versus if I was listening to a podcast and it was fucking up my flow, I barely wrote one before I turned the damn thing off. I don't mind that at all, because it helps me understand my own psychology a little better, and potentially helps me understand how people like my son may operate, since he is half me!

What about you, do you think you are able to listen to things like music when doing creative stuff, analytical stuff or neither? How about both? Let me know in the comments!